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Gators Marching To Winning Beat

The Associated Press

Kentucky's Patrick Patterson blocks a shot by Florida's Dan Werner during the first half.

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By MICK ELLIOTT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 8, 2009

GAINESVILLE - As part of a "Tobacco Free Florida" promotion, real human skeletons dressed in orange and blue T-shirts stood in entry ways of the O'Connell Center for spectators to pass on their way to Saturday's meeting between the Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats.

As it turned out, the bones were not to be confused with remains of UF's basketball season.

Florida's postseason hopes are still alive. Whether the same can be said for the Wildcats is questionable.

With the Eastern Division's third seed in this week's SEC Tournament in Tampa at stake, the Gators pulled out of a late-season dive with a 60-53 victory.

After having lost five of their previous seven games before Saturday's victory, the Gators (22-9, 9-7 SEC) finish behind Tennessee and South Carolina in the SEC East. They begin tournament play Thursday at 9:45 p.m. in the Forum against Arkansas, the sixth seed from the West. The Gators likely need at least two wins in the tournament to assure a return to March Madness.

Kentucky (19-12, 8-8) ended its regular season with a four-game losing streak. The Wildcats open the SEC Tournament against Alabama or Ole Miss.

"You always want to go in with your winning stuff," Gators junior forward Dan Werner said. "We got some confidence with this win. You cannot pick out one team in the SEC right now and say, 'OK, this is the team that's going to win.' I think anyone has a shot. The team that comes together and plays the hardest I think is going to win."

Florida played like a team that understood its fate.

After being pushed around on defense in recent weeks - their previous six opponents had scored 79 or more points - the Gators responded by limiting SEC player of the year candidate Jodie Meeks to 15 points. Kentucky was good on only two of 11 3-point attempts and hit 43 percent (23 for 53) from the field.

Also, Florida hit five of seven 3-point shots in the opening 15 minutes and eight of 21 for the game. The Gators built an early 10-point lead and never allowed the Wildcats to get closer than five.

"Obviously, for both teams it was a physical grind and a battle," Gators coach Billy Donovan said. "I made a comment to an official: 'We were in the wrong stadium. We needed to move across the street.' It was very physical. Both teams had a tough time scoring. It was certainly not a work of beauty on the offensive end, but I thought the difference in the game was the three-point line."

On Senior Day, guard Walter Hodge, the Gators' only upperclassman, produced the game's finest performance. Hodge hit seven of 12 shots, including three of five from outside the arc, to lead all scorers with 18.

Forward Alex Tyus added 11 points and freshman guard Erving Walker 10.

"It feels great," Hodge said before leaving the O'Connell Center for the last time as a player. "I was determined to win today. This was my last game here. I told the guys we can do this and take momentum to Tampa. The guys did a great job finding me early and I was in a rhythm."

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534.

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